Taulbee celebrates retirement after 20 years at New Madrid Power Plant

Stan Taulbee of East Prairie, Missouri, is turning in his hard hat for a new life in western Maryland after working for 20 years for Associated Electric Cooperative at the New Madrid Power Plant.

Taulbee joined AECI in 1996 as an assistant shift supervisor at the power plant and was promoted to instrument shop supervisor in 2008.

He said he's appreciated the cooperative placing trust in him. "They've allowed me to take ownership when problems arise and let me have the resources to meet challenges."

One of the first things Taulbee noticed as a new hire in 1996 was how clean the power plant was. "Considering it's a pressurized furnace, there is usually a lot of leaks in a place like this," he said. "But this place was immaculate."

He said he's seen a number of changes since beginning, including old faces being replaced with new, government regulations and plant efficiency. "We're a tighter ship -- we use less money, less resources -- to make more megawatts for our members," he said.

Taulbee values the work ethic at AECI. "People here actually take ownership of their jobs," he explained. "Since we're not an investor-owned utility, ... we're working for our member-owners. That seems to make a difference in how people work."

His favorite memory at New Madrid was the day he was asked to take the instrument supervisor position. "That profoundly affected me because I was not expecting it. I haven't looked back since; it's been a wonderful experience."

After retirement Taulbee plans to move to the mountains in western Maryland with his wife. They've got a number of projects lined up to keep them busy, including fixing up the house and dabbling with antiques.

"It's been a good run at Associated," he said. "I've really appreciated working here."